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As a competitive sport, beach volleyball has many players that practice every day in hopes of winning trophies, medals, and even fame. Among those, there are prominent ones who have excelled, becoming what some may refer to as the best beach volleyball players.
Best Beach Volleyball Players
The best players often give a brilliant performance every time they go into the court, and by doing so, they also inspire a lot of people. From a young volleyball player with big aspirations to a fan who just needs motivation, these players can encourage everyone.
As much as you need to practice your drills, getting to know their journey can also help you to improve your game. These players are professionals, generating their income from the game of volleyball. After all, many novice players have at least one role model they can follow and learn from.
Best Female Beach Volleyball Players
These are the best female players in the world:
Talita Antunes
From Brazil, Talita Antunes is a 39 year old beach volleyball blocker.
- At 19 years old, Jackie Silva (An Olympic champion) noticed her talent and decided to invite Talita to partner with her at the South American Championship in 2002, which they won.
- She then continued playing and was awarded the “FIVB Rookie Of The Year” in 2005. Later in her career, she won the “FIVB World Tour” twice while representing Brazil, once in 2013 and then the last time in 2015.
- Talita Antunes is currently sitting at the top position among the best female players based on her performance in tournaments.
| Competition | Medal |
|---|---|
| 2009 Stavanger World Championship | Bronze |
| 2015 Fort Lauderdale World Tour Final | Gold |
| 2017 Vienna World Championship | Bronze |
Larissa França
- Larissa França is a 39 year old player from Brazil who currently plays alongside Talita Antunes. This player holds the record of more volleyball titles earned with 57 FIVB career gold medals.
- She won two gold medals at the Pan American Games (2007 and 2011) and a gold medal at the 2011 World Championship in Rome. Despite her success, the Brazilian still has one objective left to accomplish: to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games.
- Larissa França is currently the second best female player based on her performance in tournaments.
April Ross
- American player April Ross is 39 years old and a three-time Olympic medalist. She won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, a silver medal in the London 2012 Summer Olympics, and a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympic Games.
- April Ross is currently the third best female player based on her performance in beach volleyball tournaments.
Juliana Silva
- The Brazilian Juliana Silva is a 38 year old player who played alongside Larissa França and won two Pan American Games (2007 and 2011). She also won a gold medal at the 2011 World Championship and a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games.
- Due to her outstanding performance, Juliana Silva is currently ranked as the fourth best female player.
Laura Ludwig
- From Germany, Laura Ludwig is a 36 year old beach volleyball defender. She has won four European Championships (2008, 2010, 2015, and 2016), a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics, and an FIVB World Championship in 2017.
- Laura Ludwig is currently ranked as the fifth best female player based on her performance.
Best Male Beach Volleyball Players
These are the best male players in the world:
Alison Cerutti
- The Brazilian player Alison Cerutti is a 36 year old athlete who plays as a blocker. Even though he started at 16 years old, it wasn’t until he was 26 that he managed to win his first “FIVB World Tour” in 2011. Then, he won a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
- After a few “dry” years, he won two gold medals back-to-back, one at the 2015 World Championship and the other at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
- Alison Cerutti is currently sitting at the top position among the best male players based on his accomplishments in tournaments.
Phil Dalhausser
- From the United States, Phil Dalhausser is a 42 year old player who as a blocker has top notch blocking skills. He had an impressive run in 2008, where he won four gold medals: one at the Olympic Games and three at the FIVB World Tour.
- Not only that, but the same year he also managed to win a silver medal and a bronze medal at the FIVB World Tour. He then continued his career until the 2020 Olympic Games, where after losing, he announced his retirement from professional beach volleyball.
- Phil Dalhausser is currently the second best male player based on his performance in tournaments.
Pablo Herrera
- From Spain, Pablo Herrera is a 39-year-old player who won two gold medals in European championships (2005 Moscow, and 2013 Klagenfurt). Additionally, he won a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games and a bronze medal at the 2013 FIVB World Tour.
- Pablo Herrera is currently ranked as the third-best male player based on his overall performance.
Bruno Schmidt
- Bruno Schmidt is a 35 year old athlete from Brazil who played alongside Alison Cerutti and won the 2016 Olympics Games. He was named the best defensive player four times in a row (2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016) and the “Most Improved Player” in 2010.
- Additionally, he won the 2015 World Championship with his partner Alison. Bruno is also very well known, as he is the nephew of the former basketball player Oscar Schmidt.
- Bruno Schmidt is currently ranked as the fourth best male player based on his accomplishments in tournaments.
Aleksandrs Samoilovs
- The Latvian Aleksandrs Samoilovs is a 37 year old player who won the “FIVB World Tour” in 2013 and 2014. He also won a European Championship in 2015.
- He was one of the main protagonists of what many American announcers called “the biggest upset in Olympic beach volleyball history.” Aleksandrs and his teammate managed to win the first round against Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers in the 2008 Olympics.
- However, the story ends badly for Aleksandr, since he lost in round 16. On the other hand, Rogers won the game against Brazil and took the gold medal. Aleksandrs is currently sitting in the fifth position of the best male players in the world.
Related Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about the best beach volleyball players.
What Does It Take To Be the Best Volleyball Player?
You must put in a lot of practice, have experience, and learn a few special skills in order to be considered one of the best volleyball players. However, discipline is thought to be the most crucial quality.
Which Nation Has the World’s Top-Ranked Volleyball Athletes?
When it comes to top volleyball players, Brazil has the highest quantity in comparison to other nations. After all, athletes from this country have won several international medals and prizes.
Which Skills Are Required to Compete Among the World’s Best Players?
If you wish to compete among elite players, you will require good agility, strength, and endurance. On top of that, you need to work as hard as possible to master the basic movements of volleyball, such as spiking and setting.
Conclusion
Even though winning a gold medal requires decades of dedication and years of drill and practice work, some players make it look easy. These players are living proof that hard work and practice can result in becoming an ace player that can lead to being the key player to win volleyball games.
